Deviant: No Longer Human

Wang Xiao, surrounded by a phalanx of guards clad in black uniforms, their automatic rifles at the ready, ascended the villa's grand staircase.

The soldiers, grim-faced and silent, formed a daunting barrier.

Yet, intriguingly, none of them followed him as he was ushered into the bedroom at the top.

The door shut behind him with a decisive click, isolating him from the armed entourage.

His world narrowed to the spacious room, where a lone figure awaited him. The man, stood with a mane of gray hair, eyed Wang Xiao with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion.

"Why do I feel like I've seen you before?" Li Zhiming murmured, slightly baffled.

Wang Xiao's red, glowing eyes seemed to stir a vague memory in him.

Wang Xiao's frown was brief, a shadow crossing his face.

He chose to remain silent, his mind racing, assessing this new player in the game.

Li Zhiming shook his head, dismissing the fleeting thought. His voice hardened, "Which faction are you with? Regardless, since you've dared to challenge the Pantheon network, don't expect to leave this room alive!"

Wang Xiao's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. 'So, it's called Pantheon network,' he mused internally, hearing a unknown word.

He measured his response carefully, knowing that words were as potent as weapons here. "I don't serve any faction. My actions are my own."

Li Zhiming's gaze was a laser, sharp and penetrating, as he attempted to unravel the enigma of Wang Xiao. A whirlwind of thoughts raced through his mind. 'Could he be from the Illuminati? But after his conflict with Chimara's Collective, perhaps he's linked to the Echidna Cell. Rouran mentioned something about a superhuman...

If this man is connected, we might finally have the leverage to challenge those who misused the Deviants.'

Meanwhile, Wang Xiao, with a discreet inward smile, had noticed the open window — a potential route for a swift and silent escape.

Fate seemed to be conspiring in his favor today. With no formidable foes nearby, he could easily turn the tables.

Yet, a direct confrontation might draw unwelcome attention.

Curiosity about this new world and the man before him stayed his hand.

For now, he would play the part of the captive, allowing Li Zhiming to unwittingly divulge valuable insights.

Li Zhiming, having formulated a hypothesis, pressed for answers. "Enough of this! Tell me, why attack the forces of the New World Order? If you're not allied with any faction, what's your interest in Fairy Island?" His eyes, relentless and piercing, sought to pin Wang Xiao down like a specimen under scrutiny.

Wang Xiao's brow creased in a frown. 'New World Order? Pantheon Network? He mentioned he was from the Pantheon just moments ago. So, were yesterday's forces from this New World Order? Allies, or perhaps rivals?'

Li Zhiming's frustration was rising as he raised his voice. "Why are you silent!? You can't hide behind your organization any longer. You know the rules – Deviants aren't to be used for internal conflicts among groups. You've already killed your fellow member! Do you think there's still a way out for you?"

Wang Xiao's eyes blinked, feigning ignorance. "What is this 'Deviant' you speak of?" His question, simple yet deliberate, caught Li Zhiming off guard.

"What? Nonse—" Li Zhiming began, but he abruptly halted, scrutinizing Wang Xiao with a newfound intensity. "Aren't you... too tall to be one of them? Are you from the early batches?" His voice was laced with confusion.

Wang Xiao's expression darkened, his patience wearing thin. "Enough of this. Stop speaking in riddles."

Whoosh!

In that instant, Li Zhiming's eyes snapped shut, sensing a strange dust being hurled towards him.

His body instinctively recoiled, 'What is this!?' Panic laced his thoughts as he reached for his gun, only to find his body unresponsive, paralyzed by the mysterious substance.

Thud!

Before he could collapse, Wang Xiao, using psychokinetic powers, gently levitated Li Zhiming's body onto the couch, simultaneously muffling any sound in the air.

"Now, I will be the one asking questions," Wang Xiao declared, his voice a mix of calm and command.

"Let's start with the basics," Wang Xiao began, his voice steady. "Explain to me what a Deviant is, and why you think I am one."

Li Zhiming's mind was in chaos, thoughts crashing against each other. 'Paralyzed? How? This man... he's no ordinary!' he realized, panic threading through his shock.

He strained against the invisible bonds holding his body hostage, but his efforts were futile.

'Arghhh!' No sound escaped his lips, no movement followed his desperate will.

Wang Xiao observed the subtle flicker of fear and struggle in Li Zhiming's eyes.

The poison was quite fast and potent against ordinary mortals.

Realizing the man couldn't speak, a cold, calculating look crossed his face. "It seems you're unable to talk. How unfortunate, but I'll offer you a choice." His voice was steady, almost compassionate. "Die in this paralyzed state, and I'll ensure everyone here meets the same fate. That includes your daughter."

Li Zhiming's heart seized. 'My daughter? Does he mean Rouran? No, not her...' The very thought clawed at him with icy fingers.

Despite his desire to reject the offer, to embrace an honorable end over a lifetime of service, the image of his daughter's face, her future, held him back.

He couldn't let his pride doom her.

Wang Xiao continued, "The antidote is unique, crafted solely by my hand. Without it, you'll need to face this paralysis monthly. If you wish to live, to protect those you care for, show me a sign."

Desperation surged through Li Zhiming. He attempted to nod, but his body remained unyielding.

Wang Xiao, understanding the limitation, instructed, "Move your eyes downwards if you agree."

With monumental effort, Li Zhiming shifted his gaze downwards, the silent confirmation of his choice.

Wang Xiao nodded, a flicker of respect passing through his eyes.

From the shadows, a strange, ethereal liquid emerged, floating gracefully toward Li Zhiming.

It entered his mouth, a ghostly elixir.

Gulp.... Gulp

Moments passed, each one an eternity for Li Zhiming, before the paralysis began to recede, sensation creeping back into his limbs.

As the paralysis began to ebb away, Li Zhiming's mind raced with a torrent of thoughts and emotions. 'Trapped. I'm utterly trapped,' he realized with a sinking heart.

The bitter taste of defeat and the tang of the strange elixir mingled in his mouth, a stark reminder of his new reality.

Gasp... His first breath was ragged, a sound of life returning to the once motionless.

Thud, thud, thud – his heartbeat, once muted, now thundered in his ears, each beat a drum of war and survival.

'I've become a puppet, dancing on his strings,' Li Zhiming laughed internally.

The weight of his decision, the safety of his daughter against his own autonomy, pressed down on him like a physical force. 'To protect her, I've gambled everything. May the heavens have mercy.'

Swish...

He flexed his fingers, the sound of fabric against skin whispering through the room, a evidence to his regained mobility and the invisible chains now binding him.

Wang Xiao's keen observation caught the subtle, furtive movement of Li Zhiming's fingers inching towards a concealed gun. His brows furrowed in a silent warning. "Don't even think about it," he uttered, his voice low yet laced with unmistakable threat.

Whoosh!

In that instant, Li Zhiming felt an overwhelming force descend upon him, as if the weight of a hundred elephants was compressing his body.

"Argh!" The sound tore from his throat, a expression of sudden, unbearable pain.

!!

The pressure was unimaginable, forcing Li Zhiming's body to buckle under the invisible load.

Thud!

With a grimace etched on his face, he found himself involuntarily kneeling on the floor, his pride and defiance crumbling in the face of absolute power.

As Li Zhiming kneeled, gasping under the crushing force, Wang Xiao stood over him, his expression an unreadable mask. "Old man, I thought we had an understanding," he said, his voice a cold, calm ripple in the charged air. "Actions like these make me question your sincerity."

Li Zhiming struggled for breath, his mind a whirlwind of desperation and fury. 'Damn it! To be overpowered so effortlessly... What kind of monster is this man?' His pride screamed in protest, but the pain was a brutal reminder of his current position.

Wang Xiao's eyes narrowed slightly, watching Li Zhiming's every twitch and grimace. "Remember, I don't need this poison to kill you, I can press you like ants anytime, the poison is merely to keep you under control. Don't make me regret offering you a choice." His words were a steel trap, clamping down on any lingering thoughts of rebellion Li Zhiming harbored.

Wang Xiao, sensing the hesistation beneath Li Zhiming's subdued exterior, chose to leverage the man's most vulnerable point. "That girl, Anran, for her sake I would let you go unpunished, but there shall not be another time for you," he said, his voice carrying a hint of a warning veiled as mercy.

Li Zhiming's mind exploded, 'Damn! Anran again? ... How does he know about her? What does he want?'